• Game 1 Box Score
• Game 2 Box Score

ERIE (March 19) – In a meeting of the two top teams in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West last year, the Vulcans were swept in a doubleheader at Mercyhurst by a pair of shutouts, losing 9-0 and 4-0 on Friday afternoon.

With the losses, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team falls to 9-9 overall this season with a 4-2 mark in league play. Meanwhile, Mercyhurst improves to 8-8 overall and 3-1 in divisional action this year.

In Game 1, the Lakers' offense roughed up redshirt sophomore Randy Sturgill (Leechburg, Pa./Leechburg) for nine runs on 12 hits while Mercyhurst senior hurler Jordan Backes (2-1) tossed a two-hit, complete-game shutout. Sturgill, who entered the game with a team-best 1.44 ERA, dropped to 3-1 this year after allowing nine runs (six earned) on 12 hits and three walks in 7.0 innings.

Mercyhurst jumped out to a 3-0 lead with two outs in the bottom of the first before adding three more runs in the second inning. The Lakers then plated a run in the third and added two insurance runs (unearned) with a two-out rally in the fifth.

The best scoring opportunity for the Vulcans came in the top of the fifth. Junior first baseman Adam Links (New Hope, Pa./Central Bucks East) started the inning with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch by Backes. Junior left fielder Sean Welsh (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East) then reached base on a walk and both runners moved into scoring position on another wild pitch. However, Backes registered back-to-back strikeouts and forced a flyout to end the threat unscathed.

Links and junior shortstop Casey Teagarden (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) collected the only two hits off Backes, who retired the last six hitters of the game in order.

In the nightcap, the Lakers manufactured two runs with a two-out rally in the second before using another two-out rally in the third to increase their lead to 3-0. Mercyhurst added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly. The Vulcans had several scoring opportunities, but left nine runners on base, including four in scoring position.

Sophomore center fielder Troy Handza (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler) led Cal U with two hits in the second game, including his fourth double of the season.

Cal U senior right-hander Nick Schreiber (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle Antrim) threw his seventh complete game of his career in the loss, yielding four runs (all earned) on 10 hits and five walks. Mercyhurst's Ben Rawding earned the first win of his career after scattering seven hits over 7.0 scoreless innings.

The Vulcans return to the diamond tomorrow, Saturday, March 20, with a doubleheader against the Lakers at CONSOL Energy Park in Washington, Pa. The twinbill is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start. Live audio will be available for the games by clicking here.